Prospects for disabled or orphaned children in Pakistan are low and many are at risk of being taken advantage of. Starfish Asia works with local organisations to provide a safe place for these children to receive love, support and help to achieve their full potential.
Ashraf and Wilma live in one of the largest colonies of Christians in Pakistan. Ashraf taught in a High School, earned a reasonable salary and life was good. But they had no peace.
They kept meeting families too poor, or too dysfunctional, to look after their children. They met orphans who knew nothing of a father’s love. They began to take some of them into their own home to give them the care they needed. In 2005 they registered the Orphan Care Organization and two years later Starfish Asia began to provide some financial help that enabled them to rent a larger house and support more girls in need.
They now have 30 girls in their extended family – all either orphans or from broken homes. Their goal is to prepare the girls for their place as Christians in society. Ashraf and Wilma don’t simply provide the bare minimum but look to encourage girls out of their traditional roles. This includes often taking them swimming and running successful Taekwondo training. Some of the girls have even won local competitions in the sport!
The Ananias Home was about to close when we first met Mrs Khalida. “We have no funds,” Khalida told us.
The Home, run by Caritas Lahore, provides a safe residential environment for 26 girls from Christian homes. It also provides in-house tuition to equip and prepare the girls for life in the outside world. At that time support of just 20,000 rupees a month (about £200 or $300) was needed to help save the Home. Starfish Asia agreed to step in and Ananias became the first of six homes we support.
Today Khalida still mothers the girls –all 26 of them. Some have graduated. Three are studying in College for degrees. One such lady has now completed her education and is a professor of Urdu at a prestigious university! So much can be achieved with so little. We are proud to be able to support the amazing Ananias Home.
Starfish Asia supports three day-care centres for young people with learning difficulties or physical disabilities.One of which has some residential clients as well as day visitors. Some of these children require long-term care. In some cases the centres provide occupational therapy for children with severe needs – a rare and very welcome provision by Starfish Asia partners with exceptional gifting and training.
Starfish Asia also supports a residential home for boys – all either orphaned or coming from dysfunctional, abusive or impossibly poor families. In each Home, the essential elements are love and understanding for those who require special care.